Managing a healthcare facility can be challenging because there are several vital things to control during a typical day. While patient needs should sit at the top of your priority list, you’ll notice that specific tasks may also need your attention.
Healthcare facilities should remain clean, have well-maintained equipment, and operate with open communication to ensure that they provide optimal care to patients. In this article, you’ll learn five tips on how to manage a healthcare facility.
1. Conduct audits
One of the things that hospital staff and management can control are regular audits. Management typically conducts assessments once a month. In these assessments, you’ll inspect medical equipment, examine cleaning and sanitation protocol, and check data logging procedures during initial intake calls and patient check-ups.
Audits help keep patients safe and ensure hospital staff know what to do when emergencies happen. Most audits require one person for completion; however, some emergency scenarios may require the assistance of the entire staff.
2. Motivate and communicate
Motivation can dwindle with long hours and low communication. Maintaining clear communication on work schedules enables staff to plan ahead and find replacements, therefore reducing the number of incidents where staff members lose motivation due to a lack of schedule flexibility.
Many hospital positions have long working hours, but you can mitigate scheduling inconveniences using a shared calendar and scheduling system.
3. Have an emergency preparedness plan
Having an emergency preparedness plan is vital during a disaster. For example, a power outage may occur, halting essential equipment operations and shutting down your facility in the process.
As an industry that needs a backup generator, facilities with emergency preparedness plans can benefit from having an energy source to keep equipment and operations running regardless of their lack of power. It would help to train your staff on locating and operating the unit during an outage.
4. Maintain equipment inventory
It helps to maintain an equipment inventory and schedule routine maintenance when necessary. Most hospital equipment will come with warranties that will cover replacement costs due to equipment failure; it would be wise to take advantage of this benefit!
You can account for each tool and resource by creating a database that lists equipment and their respective warranties.
5. Establish goals and priorities
Common goals in a hospital setting include benchmarks for patient safety, cleanliness, and quality of care. Establishing strong goals early and often is a recipe for success! This will also help with motivation and help hospital management re-evaluate and refine procedures as needed.
Managing a healthcare facility is a significant responsibility, but these five tips can help streamline operations and prioritize tasks to keep things running smoothly.
